Posts Tagged ‘Burn Calories’

This post was set up to show what technology can help non-athletic, everyday people to get fit or lose weight. Over the past number of years there has been a massive increase in the amount of sporting technology that is available for use to ordinary everyday people.

For example if you look at the above picture of a display of a treadmill. There is a lot of information that can be useful to the average person in their quest to get fit. As you can see there is how long they spent on the treadmill, the speed they are running at, how many calories they have lost in this session, and there is also a display that tells them their heart rate, among many other things. At the end of your workout, the displays also tell you what your average speed was and how long you ran/walked in total. This can be important as if you’re aiming to get fit or lose weight, then you will want to try and improve on this performance the next time you get on a treadmill. These types of displays can also be found on rowing machines and exercise bikes etc.

Another useful piece of technology for the average person is the heart rate monitor watch.

As you can see from the above picture the watch is just like a regular watch, except instead of telling you the time, this watch tells you your heart rate. The watch uses a band that is placed just below your chest in order to read your heart rate. We have included a video of how to use a heart rate monitor watch in just in case reading this inspires you to get one! The idea of the heart rate monitor is that it ensures that your heart rate is high enough to be burning calories and getting fit when working out.

Believe it or not, video games can also be used in order to help you to get fit! The introduction of the Wii, has enabled people to play active video games. This is very appealing to people because, we feel your almost getting fit while having fun at the same time! In fact, Wii have brought out a special game that is aimed at just those who are trying to get fit and want to get fit. This game is called Wii fit.

The Wii fit package comes with a board and the actual game itself. You as the user have to copy the exercises that is shown up on-screen. The game also keeps track of the progress you are making so that the exercises will get slightly more difficult each time you use the game. The reason for this is so that the user will get slightly fitter each time they use the game. There are numerous other games that on the Wii that will help you get fit but Wii fit would the main one.

Another way in which people can use Technology to get fit/ healthy is by using websites that are aimed at doing exactly that. For example Microsoft’s Health Vault( Link posted below) is a good website for this

Obviously Microsoft’s Health Vault can be used for lots of things, but getting healthy is one of them. They also have a section on quitting smoking if anyone is interested. The website would be a great way of keeping track of what exercises you’re doing and at what level you’re doing them at. You can also use it to keep track of your diet and record your heart rate and your blood pressure and things like that. Another excellent site to help you get fit or lose weight would be You-Tube. There are thousands of fitness videos on you tube. There are ones with different levels of difficulties for different types of fitness levels so everyone’s needs are catered for. All you have to do is find one that is suited for your need and follow the instructions of that one.

Everyday activities like shopping for groceries burn calories, just like standard exercises. A one-hour shopping trip includes activities such as pushing your cart through the aisles, loading the groceries into your car and putting them away once you arrive home. Whether you burn more calories grocery shopping than walking depends on your speed.

Grocery Shopping

You arrive at the grocery store and spend 45 minutes pushing your cart up and down the aisles, temporarily pausing to place an item into your cart: that alone burns 105 calories in a 130-pound person, and even more — 146 calories in 45 minutes — in a 180-pound person. Spend five minutes loading the groceries into your car after checking out and you’ll burn another 16 calories if you weigh 130 pounds; up that to another 22 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. Take 10 minutes to unpack your groceries and put them away in your pantry once you arrive home and burn another 26 calories if you’re 130 pounds, or another 36 if you’re 180 pounds. In all, a 130-pound person burns 147 in a one-hour shopping trip; a 180-pound person burns 204 calories.

Grocery Shopping Vs. Leisurely Walking

A one-hour trip to the grocery store burns more calories than a leisurely walk. Walking at a a slow pace — less than 2 mph — for an hour burns 118 calories if you weigh 130 pounds and 163 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. You’d have to up your speed to 2 mph for your hour-long walk to burn the same number of calories as your hour-long trip to the grocery store.

Grocery Shopping Vs. Moderately Paced Walking

Increase your walking speed to 2.5 mph and you’ll start burning more calories than you did during your one-hour trip to the grocery store. Walking for an hour at that pace burns 177 calories if you weigh 130 pounds, 30 calories more than if that same person spent an hour grocery shopping. A 180-pound person burns 40 more calories walking at this pace for an hour than she would grocery shopping for 60 minutes. Increase your speed to 3 miles an hour and you increase your calorie burn to 195 if you weigh 130 pounds and 270 calories if you weigh 180 pounds.

Grocery Shopping Vs. Brisk Walking

Walk at a brisk pace — 3.5 mph or faster — for an hour and you’ll burn significantly more calories than you would during a one-hour trip to the grocery store. An hour’s walk at 3.5 mph burns 224 calories if you weigh 130 pounds and 311 calories if you weigh 180 pounds. Up your speed to 4 mph and you’ll double the number of calories you burned on your shopping trip: 295 calories an hour for a 130-pound person and 409 calories for a 180-pound person.

This is equivalent to eating 4.8kg of egg-fried rice, or 42 bananas, or 23 and a half hamburgers. Or you could think of it as eating three 300g chicken korma curries, three 300g chicken tikka curries, three naan breads and 24 onion bhajis.

That is also the same amount that a Tour de France cyclist needs to sustain a day’s racing, professional athletes consume to propel them through a day’s training, Royal Marines need to fuel their missions, and Arctic explorers demand to endure a day on the ice.

For those of us less inclined to extreme endurance and more comfortable with staying indoors, there is little chance we will be burning 6,000 calories on Christmas day.

But there are ways to do things a little bit more healthily.

Christmas dinner itself easily fits in to the recommended calorific intake for a day, says Sian Porter, consultant dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

In fact it contains 956 calories, and 48g fat, she says. The guideline daily calorie count is 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women.

But it’s not just Christmas dinner that we indulge in.

“Six thousand calories over the day includes smoked salmon and eggs for breakfast, buck’s fizz and wine and other drinks, liqueurs, also Christmas cake, mince pies, cheese and biscuits, cold nibbles, snacks, crisps, nuts and an open box of chocolates,” she says.

You know what will happen if you eat an extra 500 calories a day in December…

Is that so bad?

“Some people can rebalance that quickly and easily,” she says.

“But some people have already kicked off indulging in early December and go through until 2nd January, which can mean they gain around 5lb,” she says.

This is by eating an average extra 500 calories per day.

To burn off Christmas day’s calories alone you might need to do at least seven hours of hard exercise such as cycling. But keeping moderate exercise up before and after Christmas can help stop you putting on weight.

Do not skip meals and try to eat regularly to avoid overeating in one big meal, says the English Institute of Sport’s performance nutritionist Emma Gardner.

It can lead to excessive hunger and poor choices, she says.

“Ensure you have a good breakfast before going to Christmas dinners/buffets so you don’t arrive hungry – Christmas gatherings are filled with tempting treats, which you are likely to snack on if you arrive hungry.

“Add a protein source at breakfast, which will also help to fill you.”

Sian Porter says adapting old favourites also works a treat.

“If you flip the lid off a mince pie, which is 250 calories before adding cream or brandy butter, you can save calories there, or swap unhealthy snacks for satsumas, nuts, dates or other fruit,” she says.

“Pile up your plate with fruit and veg, and do things a bit smarter – on the day make gravy from vegetable water and only open one box of chocolates at a time.”

Emma says: “Whether at a buffet or a Christmas dinner base your meals around lean protein options and vegetables or salad.

“If you want to go that extra step, try dry-roasting potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet or use an oil spray instead of smothering them in goose fat.”

There are plenty of easy calorie-savers, such as not eating turkey skin or avoiding putting butter on vegetables.

Eat vegetable crudites or popcorn, provided it’s without butter or sugar, for low-calorie alternatives to crisps.

1.Spinning and elliptical trainer

Spinning on a stationary bicycle and exercising on an elliptical trainer both offer the highest calorie burning benefits. A 260-pound person will burn 1,342 calories an hour. The average male or any person weighing 190 pounds will burn 980 calories in 60 minutes, and the average female weighing 163 pounds will burn 841.

Downhill and cross country skiing is an excellent winter sport that burns fat while one has fun. Someone who weighs 260 pounds will burn 1,030-1,342 calories an hour. The average male will burn 752-980 calories skiing, and the average female will burn 645-841. A ski machine comes in close, and the average man will burn 832 calories, while the ordinary women will melt away 714 calories.

3.Basketball (full court)

Full court basketball is a fun sport that will help one to lose or maintain weight. When wanting to hang out with friends and work together, basketball is a great, calorie blasting sport. The person who weighs 260 pounds will burn 1,295 calories for each hour they participate. The ordinary man will shred 946 calories, while the average women will melt away 812.

4.Rock climbing

Indoor and outdoor rock climbing offer a healthy adventure. Again, a 260-pound person can easily burn 1,295 calories an hour while enjoying this sport. Men, you will burn 946 calories, and women you will burn 812.

5.Soccer

Competitive soccer is another sport that involves team work and constant motion. Those who weigh 260 pounds will burn 1,186 calories per hour. Males can enjoy this sport while burning 866 calories each hour. Females will ignite their metabolism and annihilate 743 calories.

6.Running

Running at a speed of 6 mph will allow a 260-pound person to burn 1,186 calories every hour. Men who run 6 mph will burn 866 calories, and women will burn 743. Keep in mind that the faster you run, the more you burn.

7.Rope jumping

Rope jumping is hard work, but it offers high calorie burning benefits. The same 260-pound person will blast away 1,186 calories after jumping rope for an hour. Males who participate in this high intensity workout will burn 866 calories per hour, and females will burn 743.

8.Swimming

Swimming is a great sport that works the entire body in the water. Burning 1,154 calories in 60 minutes will happen without breaking a sweat for those who weigh 260 pounds. The average weighing man will scorch 844 calories when swimming, while the average woman will melt away 724.

9.Skating

Rather you choose to go rollerskating or rollerblading, you will be burning butter. For those who weigh 260 pounds, 1,076 calories will be shed each hour. Men, put on your skates and prepare to annihilate 787 calories each hour. Women, prepare to have fun while burning away 675 calories. Oddly enough, women (or those who weigh less) will burn more calories skating than swimming, whereas, men (or those who weigh more) appear to burn more swimming.

10.Vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa yoga is a type that involves breathing in synchronization to each movement. Yoga is my favorite exercise of all 10 listed, and vinyasa yoga will subtract 1,030 calories each hour from a 260-pound person. Men, pick up your yoga mat and burn 752 calories in just an hour. Women, join me by participating in my favorite form of exercise and burn 645 calories for every 60 minutes.